Current Weight: 241

What's something new that you've incorporated into your workout routine this month?
"I have started to use some of the weight machines at the gym. I like the free weights better and actually my trainer does too but it is nice to know how to so some of the weight machines so I have more options. Justin also has incorporated the kettlebell into my workout and I love it. Last week he taught me a way to get the same affect with a dumbbell instead of a kettlebell. One of the most interesting “homework” lessons I had this month was to design a workout from start to finish. Justin had me design a workout as if I was the trainer and he was the client. It was quite a grueling workout. I had to do that work out for two weeks straight and I had to actually do it during one of my training sessions with Justin. I never missed a rep and I never even asked for a drink of water while I was completing the workout. I felt so overwhelmed when it was over I cried. I can’t even describe how proud of myself I was to have accomplished this task."

Have you been utilizing fresh fruits and vegetables as the weather get nicer?
"Not so much yet but later in the summer I am sure I will. My husband and I love to go to city market in the summer and buy fresh strawberries and tomatoes when it is the right season. Right now I just utilize the produce from the local grocery stores and even frozen veggies are really easy to incorporate into my busy schedule. I just put a bag of frozen veggies into a steamer bag and in six minutes I have cooked veggies."

On a scale of one to 10, what was your strength level when you started? What is it now? How do you feel about the change?
"On a scale of one to 10 I think my strength level was close to a two when I started the challenge. Now I think I am at least a seven. I can now bench press 25 pound dumbbells and I do tricep rows with a 20 pound dumbbell. I am absolutely thrilled about the change. I just keep getting stronger and stronger. I actually anticipate that to get even better before the challenge is over and my strength level to be even higher than a seven."

What's something in your daily life outside of diet and exercise that's become easier as a by-product of diet and exercise?
"It is easier all the time now to just wear my clothes. Some fit better and others just feel better. Even though I have only lost 12 pounds the transformation of my body is really noticeable. With warm weather and summer just around the corner I use to fear wearing short sleeves and now I am embracing it a little more that I have been strength training."

What is one of the main things that you've learned to incorporate into your diet that keeps you on track?
"I try to stay pretty strict about eating every three hours. I make sure at every meal and snack I have some protein and that keeps me satisfied and full until the next meal or snack rolls around. I also try to drink plenty of water. I find that when I am properly hydrated I don’t tend to be as hungry. Then I don’t make bad choices when it is time to eat. I drink a bottle of water on the way to work every morning and find my water bottle up at work all day long. I also have almost cut diet pop out of my diet entirely. I only have about one diet root beer a week. That way if I am thirsty I make myself drink water."

What do you do if you have a craving for something sweet, especially with the nice weather, so you don't break your diet?
"Well, I find now that I am stricter with my diet that I actually crave fruit. So that will be easy as I stated earlier when all the fresh fruits are at the market and in season. That will help the pocket book too because I find I buy a lot of fruits and vegetables and it gets pricey if they are not in season. I find too that if I have a sweet craving I will have some Greek yogurt with some low sugar raspberry preserves mixed in and that satisfies my craving and serves as one of my snacks. I know I am not perfect so I am sure the ice cream bug will bite this summer at some time so I figure I have three options. One I can get a smaller portion. Two I can choose frozen yogurt or just a plain ice cream rather than something with a lot of mix ins. Three I can just say no and have my Greek yogurt instead."

With the challenge end right around the corner, do you see yourself meeting your original goals?
"To be brutally honest I don’t think I will make my original weight loss goal. My goal was to lose 55 lbs and break the 200 lb mark. Not going to happen. I have two months left and I may lose as little as eight and as much as 16 pounds at this point at one to two pound weight loss per week. That should put my projected total loss at 20 to 28 pounds. Quite disappointing to me but I have all the right tools and the right mind set now to succeed on my own. This is a life style challenge not a challenge to see who can drop the most weight the quickest. I had a body composition test performed recently and learned I have gained five pounds of muscle since the beginning of the challenge. That is awesome and I can feel it too."

How do you plan to carry out what you've learned from the challenge after it's over?
"After the challenge is over I plan to keep up with my exercise routine and keep eating the way I currently eat. I am going to continue planning my meals in advance and just keep applying everything I have already learned to my every day life. I also plan to spend money out of my own pocket once a month to schedule a training session with Justin and get a tune up. I also have a couple of fitness goals to meet for next year yet so I have to keep training hard. I want to participate in the Hawk Island mini-triathlon next year and maybe even join a women’s fall basketball league at the MAC."

What is your weekly routine for working out?
"I work out three to four days a week in addition to my training session that I have every week. I do some form of interval cardio training every day. Usually if I lift weights one day I do a 20 to 25 minute interval cardio routine. The other day I walked for four minutes and ran for two minutes and continued that throughout the entire 25 minute routine. On alternate days I do strength training. I do chest press, tricept row, shoulder press, sitting rows with weights, leg press, etc. I have learned so many different exercises I can pick a variety now."

What is a typical day, diet wise?
"I have tried a lot of different things to see what works for me best. I have found that eating every three hours and eating smaller portions makes me feel in control. I have also tried at least four different journals since I started the challenge. My current journal is electronic and very handy. I even have some of my routine meals programmed in so I just have to hit a couple buttons to log the meals rather than look up each individual food item every time I eat. For breakfast I usually have two hard-boiled eggs and a piece of Ezekiel bread with coconut oil or oatmeal with berries and walnuts. My next snack is 10 almonds and three to four figs. Lunch is a salad with light balsamic vinaigrette dressing and four ounces of protein (chicken or tuna). My after noon snack is either a yogurt or a protein shake and dinner is usually steamed or grilled veggies, four ounces of lean protein and about ½ cup brown rice. I don’t recommend anyone try this on your own with out consulting your physician or dietician, as I am by no means an expert."

Justin Grinnell, Senior Trainer at the MAC on Amy

“Slowly but surely Amy has been making progress. We have tried a few different methods to see what really works for her, and I think we are close to finding it. She has gotten more consistent with her eating and exercise. I think that the biggest thing she has accomplished is that she has made working out and eating correctly a habit in her life. While the pounds have not been flying off, her fitness level and mentality have improved dramatically. I really feel that Amy will make this a part of her life, and not just think of it as a “diet” or a challenge. She wants to be healthy, active, and happy for the rest of her life, not just for the challenge. Amy is on her way to do accomplish this. ”

Melanie Stanczak,
RD Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital on Amy

“Amy has been working on changing up her exercise routine in addition to making healthier food choices. She has increased her vegetable intake and is choosing more complex carbohydrates. She is eating more fish and chicken and has decreased the amount of salty and high fat meats. Her snack choices have changed drastically since the start of the challenge. She used to snack on chocolates and candy. Now she looks forward to having an apple for a snack! Amy continues to keep a positive attitude no matter what the scale says."